Semiautomatic can-closing machine



Aug. 23,

F. H UNTAR SEMIAUTOMATIC CAN CLOSING MACHINE Filed May 21. 1924 7Sheets-Sheet 1 lllll;

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F. HU'NTAR SEMIAUTOMATIC CAN CLOSING MACHINE Filed May 21. 1924 7Sheets-Sheet 2 BY 44 4 v WA rozemsys 1,6 Aug. 23, 1927. HUNTAR 39,945

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1,639,945 F. I IUNTAR SEMIAUTQMATIC CAN CLOSING momma Filed May 21. 1924'7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFmcE.

FELIX HUNTAR, OF HILLSIDE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERIOLN CAN COK-PANY, O1 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 01' NEW JERSEY.

snmaurom'rrc can-cno'smc mom-mi.

Application filed m 21, 1924. Serial No. 714,979. I

, The general object of the present inven-;

tionis to provide a semi-automatic can closing machine, particularlyadapted for use in canning factories in which particular prodnets arepacked in relatively'small uantities so that containers of a variety ofdifferent sizes are required, the machine being adapted for use withoutsubstantial change of parts for the varioussizes employed.

Olosin machines employed in large factories, w ich operate upon a largenumber of cans in a single run, are highly perfected mechanically andare of fully automatic action, requiring very little handling by theoperator, either of the can or cover. This type of machine is veryefficient, but of necessity is too expensive for use in smallerfactories and, furthermore, cannot be readily changed to operate uponcans of different size. My invention provides a machine which can beconstructed at relatively low cost and which lends itself advantageouslyto the general use required in the type of factory, referred to above.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a machine of thischaracter, a cover feeding device of novel and efiicient action adaptedto automatically separate the covers from a stack and transfer them toposition in axial alignment with the seaming mechanism to be united withcan bodies, which, in the present instance, are positioned by hand upona lift beneath said mechanism.

A further and important object of the invention is the provision ofmeans for automaticall stopping the operation'of the machine a tercompletion of a complete seaming operation upon a single can, provisionbeing made, however, for continuous opera tion if this be desired.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the ac companying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a closingmachine in which my invention is embodied; 'Fig. 2 is a front elevationof the same,

partly broken away for better illustration of certain of the o cratingparts;

Fig. 3 is a si e elevation of the machine. viewed from the side oppositefrom that of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a Ian view of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a ragmental plan view, showing the end feeding mechanism openfor better illustration Fig. 6 is a front-to-back sectional view, sotaken substantiallly on the section line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fg. 7 is anenlarged sectional detail of the can end feedin mechanism, being takensubstantially on the line 7-7 in Fi 4;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the fee%' g fingers in assembled relationship;Fig. 9 is a perspective view of said fingers in separated relationship;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially on the-line1010 of Fig. 4:;

Fig. 11 is a detail view, partially in sec tion and partially inelevation, bein taken substantially along the line l111 in ig. 10 andillustrating the clutch operating means;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially on the line12-12 in Fig.

10 and showin more in detail the housing of the clutch pin:

Fig. 13 is a detail view of said clutch so p I Fig. 14 is a plan View,partially broken away, of the guide member change part for small sizecovers and showing also the cover advancing lever; and 95 Fig. 15 is asimilarview, showing the guide member change part for larger size coversand illustrating the difierent length of the cover advancing leverstroke when the larger covers are being fed.

The machine as illustrated is of compact construction, the operatingiparts being sup- Said shaft carries at its inner end a beveled gear 18meshing with a similar gear 19 carried by a spindle 21 to which issecured, at its lower end, a seamin head 22. Said seaming head has aplurality (in the preshead 22 obviously) is rotated by the mechanismjust descri ed and the sleeves 23 are separately rotated at desiredspeed by means of spur gears 28 formed at the upper ends thereof andmeshing with a spur gear 29 formed in the lower end of the two-partsleeve 31 surrounding the spindle 21 and 'ournaled in a bearing cage 32,said sleeve ein' adapted to be rotated by means of a beve ear 33 meshingwith a bevel gear 34 secured to the shaft adjacent the gear 18. Thegearing just described is so timed that the eccentrically mountedseaming rolls.

move inwardly at the proper time during rotation of the seaming firstoperation rolls loosely roll the flanges of the can cover and bodytogether and the second operation rolls flatten and tightly close theseam.

The covers, after they are attached, are disengaged from the chuck 26 bymeans of a knock-out pad 35 carried at the lower end of a rod 36slidably mounted in the spindle 21. Said rod is actuated by means of alever 37 connected to the u per end thereof by means of a link 38 andpivoted to the frame at 39, said lever having a downwardly extending arm41 carrying a roller 42 engaging in a cam groove 43 formed in the innerface of a cylinder cam 44 carried upon one end of a transverse shaft 45(see Figs. 1, 2 and 10). A worm 46 upon the shaft 15 meshes with a wormwheel 47 secured to a sleeve 48 journaled for rotation in bearings 49and 51 in the frame, said sleeve having an end flange 52 disposed on theexterior of said bearing 51. The cross shaft 45 hereinbefore referred tois journaled within the sleeve 48 and is adapted to be driven therebythrough a clutch mechanism to be later described.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be noted that thecylinder cam 44 is provided with a peripheral groove 53 in which rides aroller 54 carried on the upper side of a lever 55, which is releasablyconnected at its opposite end by a clamping bolt to a short verticalshaft 56 journaled in bearings 57 and 58 integral with a bracket 59attached to the side of the head 13 by means of screws 61 (see Fig. 1).A can cover advancing lever 62 is connected to the head 22 so that thelower end of said short'shaft 56 by means of a springl63, said levercarrying at its outer end a finger block 64 which normall lies in theplane of the lowermost can on This lever serves to transfer the coversfrom a stackholder, indicated by the reference character 65, to positionbeneath said seaming mechanism when said covers are separated from thestack in manner which will hereinafter appear, and the block 64- isadjustable by a slot and screw connection with the lever 62, as shown inFig. 5, to properly engage at about the middle of a can en of thedetermined size. The stack of covers is held in place by rods 66extending upwardly from the stack holder which is formed integrally witha guide member 67, which in turn is integral with the front protectionshield 68 of the seaming head. Said protection shield 68 is pivoted at69 to the head 13 and is adapted to be opened to permit inspection orremoval of the seaming head. A latch 71, pivoted at 72 to one side ofsaid shield, is adapted to engage a projection 73 on the head 13 to holdthe shield in closed position,

as shown in Fig. 4. A projection 74 upon the guide member 67 is adaptedto be engaged by a hand screw 75 carried in a pivoted arm 76 to assistin the locking action.

For the purpose of sepaiating the covers from the stack prior to theirbeing transferred to the seaming mechanism, I provide two fingers 77 and78, which are shown in detail in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. Said fingers 77 and78 are assembled as shown in Fig. 8, with the forward part of the finger78 disposed in a guideway 79 in the finger 77 and both fingers beingpivoted at their rear ends to a fian 'e 81 on the lower end of a shortvertical shaft 82, the pivot points being indicated respectively b thereference characters 83 and 84. The fi nger 78 has a block 85 secured tothe forward end thereof by means of a screw 86, said block being formedwith a downwardly and forwardly curved upper portion 87 and a downwardlyand rearwardly inclined lower portion 88 therebeneath terminating in aprojection 89 adapted to be disposed within a recess 91 in the finger77, whereby to guide and limit the movement of said finger 78. Thefinger 77 has a rearwardly inclined forward edge 92 and is provided withinset blocks 93 and 94 at the top thereof. The stack of covers isnormally supported at bne side by a ledge 95 and the forwardly hookedportion 87 of the finger 78. Upon rotation of the shaft 82, said finger78 is withdrawn and the finger 77 is simultaneously projected so thatthe upper edges 96 of the blocks 93 and 94 enter between the lowermostcan end and the one next above it, supporting the remainder of the stackwhile said lowermost cover is deposited in advance of the finger block64 on the cover advancing lever 62. 3 Continued the can to be closedagainst the cover previrotation of saidshaft 82 causes the'finger ouslypositioned beneath the seaming head 77 to be withdrawn and the fingerpro'ected to support the stac the lever tothe seaming rollers, wherebythe double 62 eing simultaneously swept forward to seaming operation iserformed. The cycle carr the cover to position beneath the seamof themachine is suc that the -can is held ing ead. in raised osition formerely a sufiicient The flan ed collar 97 upon the shaft 82 length oftime to complete the seaming opis journaled in a bearing 98 integralwith eration, after which he table, or platform a web 99 projecting fromthe bracket 59 113 descends, lowering the can away from which is securedto the side of the head 13. the seaming mechanism and permitting itsSaid shaft is adapted to be oscillated by removal from the machine.means of a lever 101, connected by an arm I provide means wherebv theaction of the 102 with a collar 103, which is spring conmachine isautomatically terminated after anected to the upper end of said shaft(see single cycle of operation, or, in other words, Fi 's. 5 and 7).after completion of the seaming of a single Said lever 101 (see Figs. 1and 5), is concan. The machine is thrown into operation nected to an arm104 projecting from a by depressin a foot lever 134, pivoted t, sleeve100 mounted on a short vertical shaft 135 to the si e of the frame 11 atthe rear- 106 journaled in a bearing-107 in the bracket thereof, saidlever having a rod 136 pivoted 59. A cam arm 105, formed integrally Withthereto at the point 137 forwardly from the said sleeve 100, receivesits motion from a pivot point 135. Said rod is adapted to roller 108carried on the end of the lever actuate a clutch mechanism which willnow 55, which is actuated by engagement of the be described,'referencebeing had particularroller 54 in the groove 53 of the cylinder ly toFigs. 10 to 13, inclusive. The rod 136 cam 44. Through the mechanismjust deis normally held in raised position by means scribed, the lever101 is actuated t0 OSCllof a spring 138, connected at one end to a latethe shaft 82 and thereby operat the collar 139 on the said rod and atthe opposite feeding fingers 77 and 78 in proper relaend to a block 141forming a o'uidewa'y for tion to the action of the cover advancing th lr 129 nd aid r d 136, A h k lever 62. member 142 on the upper end ofsaid rod is Secured to the front side of the frame engaged with a camyoke 143 secured to a standard 11 is a bracket 109 formed with a' springpressed plunger 144. When the rod central hub 111, through which extendsa 136 is moved downwardly by depressing the rod 112, carrying at itsupper end a can supfoot lever 134, the yoke 143 is withdrawn portingtable 113 (see Fig. 6). Adjacent from a groove 145 in a clutch pin 146slidthe supporting table 113 is a can receiving ably mounted in a hub147 formed integrally table 114, which is supported upon a rod 115 withthe cam 133. Said pin 146, upon being a'djustably held by means of a setscrew 116 released, ismoved inwardly by means of a in a boss 117 formedin the outer part of spring 148 disposed in a slot 149 in the rear thebracket 109. Said table 114 may thus end of said pin and in a slot 151in a cap 152 be vertically adjusted to accommodate cans secured to theouter face of the cam 133. of different height, as may also the table113 Upon being moved inwardly, said pin enters which is threaded in asleeve 118 slid-ably a recess 153 in the flange 52 of the sleeve 48,held in a boss 119 formed in a bracket 121 whereby the motion of saidsleeve is transsecured to the front side of the frame mitted to the cam133 and thereby to the standard 11 beneath the bracket 109. Domeshaft45. Upon completion of one cycle of shaped hoods 122 and 123 arepositioned operation,the clutch pin 146 is withdrawn by upon the rod 112above the bosses 111 and means of the cam yoke 143, which is urged 119,respectively. upwardly by a spring 154, surrounding the At the lowermostextremity of the sleeve rod 144. The correspondingly inclined bases 118.I provide a grooved collar 124, engaged of said yoke member and thegroove 145 of by rollers 125 carried by a bifurcated lever said pin 146cooperate to withdraw said pin 126 secured to a shaft 127 havinghearings in and break the operative connection between the frame. Saidshaft is adapted to be the rotating sleeve 48 and the mechanism rockedby means of an arm 128, connected at actuated by the cams 133 and 44. Ifconits rear end with a rod 129, which carries at tinuous operation ofthe machine be desired, its upper end a roller 131 riding in a groovethis may, of course, be accomplished by hold 132 in a cam 133 secured tothe shaft at ing the foot lever 134 down and feeding the the end thereofopposite the cylinder cam cansin succession to the seamingmechanism. 44(see Figs. 3 and 10). .It will thus be In normal operation, however, theclutch pin seen that rotation of said shaft 45 produces, 146 iswithdrawn after one revolution of the through the instrumentalities justdescribed, shaft 45, the yoke 143 being held in a groove a reciprocatingmotion of the supporting 155 in the hub 147 and adapted to engage table,or lift, 113 causing the latter to raise and withdraw the pin 146,unless said foot 78 again and to present the assembled can and cover tll yokemember down against the tension of the spring 154 and out ofengagement with the groove 145 in said pin 14:6.

Adjustable guides 156' are held upon the upper surfaces of the tables113 and 114 by means of thumb-screws 157 and are adapted -to cooperatewith the cover guide 67 to centralize the cans and covers in axialalignment with the chuck 26' of the seaming head 22. Said thumb-screws157 permit adjustment of said guideways to accommodate cans of varyingsize.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the machine of my inventionmay be readily adapted to operate upon the cans of different size bymerely changing the stack holder and'guide member67 and by changing theseaming head 22 in the usual manner. The change part 67 is shown inFigs. 14 and 15 in two different sizes and it will be noted, frominspection of these figures, that the cover advancing lever 62 may be ofthe same size, regardless of the size of the covers and may be adjustedto different positions, as shown in said Figs. 14 and 15, by releasingthe clamp on the arm 55.

For the purpose of removing the seaming head, a nut 158 is unscrewed,the chuck 26 removed and the sleeve 31 slid off the spindle 21. A newseaming head may then be substituted for the one removed, it beingunderstood that the seaming heads are exchanged in this manner in allmachines adapted for operation'upon cans of different size. The onlyadditional change of parts required in the machine of my invention is inthe stack holder and guide 67, as heretofore stated.

The stack of covers in the stack holder 65 is so arranged that no changein relation to the separating fingers 7 7 and 78 is necessary fordifferent sizes of covers.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoingdescription, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention, or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A semi-automatic can closing machine, comprising seaming mechanism,means for feeding covers from a stack on the machine to position beneathsaid mechanism and above a can body, said means including an adjustableadvancing lever independent of the stack support adapted to accuratelyengage and position covers of different size, and means for presentingan assembled can and cover 'to said seaming mechanism.

2. A semi-automatic can closing machine,

"comprising a seamin mechanism, means for presenting an assem led canand cover to said mec nism for closing, a replaceable stackholder andguide member for the covers, and a lever independent of the can coversupport for feedin the covers from a stack in said holder to t eseaming'station.

3. A semi-automatic can closing machine,

coversfor which the stackholder and guide member is adapted.

4. A semi-automatic can closing machine, comprising a seaming head,means forautomatically feedin can covers to osition beneath said seaminghead and a ove a can EOSltlOIlEd at the seaming station, a stackolderand guide for said covers, means for lifting the assembled can and coverto said seaming head, means carried by said seaming head for uniting thecover to'the can, and means for automatically stopping the action of themachine after redetermined seaming action, said stackhol er and guidebeing removable to permit substitution of corresponding parts toaccommodate can ends of different size.

5. A semi-automatic can closing machine, comprising a seaming head,means for feeding can covers to cans positioned beneath said seaming xhead, a cover stackholder, means for separating individual covers from astack in said holder and an adjustable le ver for delivering the same tosaid cover feeding means, means for guiding the covers as they are movedto seaming position, said stackholder and guiding means being removableto permit substitution of corresponding parts to accommodate covers ofdifferent size and said cover separating and feeding means being adaptedto operate upon different size covers.

-6. A semi-automatic can closing machine, comprising a seaming head,means for feeding can covers to cans positioned beneath said seaminghead, a cover stackholder, means for separating individual covers from astack in said holder and delivering the same to said cover feedingmeans, and means for guiding the covers as they are moved to seamingposition, said stackholder and cover guide being constructed as aremovable unit to permit substitution for covers of different size andsaid cover separating and feedin means being adapted to operate upon diferent size covers.

7 A semi-automatic can closing machine, comprisig seaming mechanism,means for lifting manually positioned cans to said mechanism, a coverstackholder, means for automatically separating individual covers fromthe bottom of a stack in said holder, and an adjustable lever fortransferring the separated covers to said seaming mechanism, saidseparating and transferring means being operable in synchronism andadapted to separate and feed covers of different diameter.

8. A semi-automatic can closingmachine, comprising seaming mechanism,means for lifting manually positioned cans to said mechanism, a coverstack holder, means for automatically separating individual covers fromthe bottom of astack in said holder, and means for transferring theseparated covers to said seaming mechanism, said transferring meanscomprising an oscillating arm, a rock shaft upon which said arm isadjustably mounted in order that the position of the arm may vary topermit the transfer of ends of difierent size Without requiring a changeof parts.

9. A semi-automatic can closing machine, comprising seaming mechanism,means for presenting an assembled can and cover to said mechanism forclosing, a cover stack holder, means comprising a plurality of pivotedfingers alternately projectable toward the stack for separatingindividual covers from said stack and positioning them for transfer, andmeans for feeding the separated covers to the seaming station.

FELIX HUNTAR.

